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Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff

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Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff

Source Note

JS, Discourse, [, Hancock Co., IL, 10 Mar. 1844]. Featured version inscribed [ca. 10 Mar. 1844] in Wilford Woodruff, Journal, vol. 5, 1 Jan. 1843–31 Dec. 1844, pp. [205]–[212]; handwriting of ; Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Discourse, 17 Jan. 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff.

Historical Introduction

On Sunday, 10 March 1844, JS delivered a discourse in , Illinois, on the spirit of Elias, the spirit of Elijah, and the “spirit of Messiah.” JS delivered this sermon in a morning meeting held at the construction site. The meeting was attended by “a very large . . . congregation.”
In his sermon, JS taught that the spirit of Elias was to prepare the way for greater revelations or a greater work while the spirit of Elijah was to redeem the dead and bind generations together through the power of the . Both spirits prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. JS also preached about the doctrine of election, explaining that if a person fell from grace by blaspheming against the Holy Ghost or shedding innocent blood, it would be impossible for him or her to be forgiven. JS concluded his discourse with two prophecies concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ in response to statements made by and his followers that Christ’s return was imminent. First, JS explained that Christ would not come in any year a rainbow was seen, stating that he had recently seen a rainbow and therefore Christ would not return in 1844. Second, he declared that Christ would not come anytime within the next forty years. JS closed by instructing his listeners to write down this prophecy.
JS’s sermon was reportedly received by an “attentive congregation.” concluded that the subject of JS’s discourse was “one of the most important & interesting . . . ever presented to the saints” and that “the principles presented were of the greatest importance to be understood.”
JS’s injunction to his audience to write down his concluding prophecy may be why several members wrote accounts of the discourse. These members included , James Burgess, Franklin D. Richards, Thomas Bullock, John S. Fullmer, and Willard Richards. While all of these church members’ accounts are featured here, Woodruff’s version, which he wrote in his own journal, is substantially longer than the other accounts.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844.

  2. [2]

    Historian’s Office, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844.

  3. [3]

    JS had referenced Elijah in previous discourses. In late January 1844, for example, JS spoke on the coming of Elijah, referring to the prophecy in the book of Malachi that Elijah would return before the second coming of Jesus Christ to “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children & the hearts of the children to their fathers.” He explained that this prophecy was fulfilled as the Latter-day Saints received keys, preached the gospel, gathered together, built up Zion, constructed temples, and acted as proxies for their dead in receiving sacred ordinances, such as baptism, which are necessary for salvation. JS’s journal entry for 3 April 1836 notes that JS and Oliver Cowdery experienced a vision of Elijah appearing to them in the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, announcing the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy and therefore conveying to them the “Keys” associated with sealing. (Discourse, 21 Jan. 1844, underlining in original; see also Minutes and Discourse, 1–5 Oct. 1841; Discourse, 13 Aug. 1843–A; and Visions, 3 Apr. 1836 [D&C 110:13–16].)

  4. [4]

    Miller was a Baptist who maintained that a thorough examination of the books of Daniel and Revelation revealed that the second advent of Christ was imminent. He did not claim the gift of prophecy, but merely that he had correctly read the biblical prophecies and accurately calculated the proper chronology. His premillennial message was accepted by thousands of Christians in the early 1840s. Miller began preaching in 1831 that the second advent of Christ would occur “in the year 1843 or before.” His views became widely known after the publication of Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ, about the Year 1843: Exhibited in a Course of Lectures (Troy, NY: Kemble and Hooper, 1836). As followers of Miller’s interpretation of scripture grew in number, he was joined by several other prominent millennialists, including Joshua Himes, George Storrs, Josiah Litch, Henry Dana Ward, and Charles Fitch. By November 1842, Miller had set the “period extending from March 21, 1843 to March 21, 1844” for the second coming of Christ. One of Miller’s disciples who visited Nauvoo in late January 1844 reportedly taught that Christ would “make his appearance” by 1 April 1844. JS had earlier made comments on Miller’s message and the Second Coming. The Times and Seasons also published numerous articles on Millerism. (Rowe, God’s Strange Work, chaps. 4–7; “Mr. Miller’s Apology and Defence,” Advent Herald, and Morning Watch, 13 Aug. 1845, [4]; JS, Journal, 29–30 Jan. 1844; News Item, Nauvoo Neighbor, 31 Jan. 1844, [2]; see also JS, Journal, 12 Feb. 1843; 2–3 and 6 Apr. 1843; Clayton, Journal, 2 Apr. 1843; “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 15 Feb. 1843, 4:103–105; “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1843, 4:114–116; “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 15 Apr. 1843, 4:168–171; “Millerism—Fanaticism,” Times and Seasons, 1 Sept. 1843, 4:307–308; “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 1 Jan. 1844, 5:391; and “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1844, 5:454.)

    Miller, William. Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ, about the Year 1843; Exhibited in a Course of Lectures. Troy, NY: Kemble and Hooper, 1836.

    Rowe, David L. God’s Strange Work: William Miller and the End of the World. Library of Religious Biography. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2008.

    Advent Herald, and Morning Watch. Boston. 1845–1846.

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  5. [5]

    Historian’s Office, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844.

  6. [6]

    Woodruff, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  7. [7]

    The quality of Woodruff’s handwriting suggests that the account in his journal was a fair copy and that he first inscribed the text elsewhere before transferring it to his journal. It is unclear, however, if Woodruff created his account from notes he took during the sermon or whether he reconstructed it from memory.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by James Burgess *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Franklin D. Richards *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by John S. Fullmer *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 4, 1 March–22 June 1844 History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844] “History of Joseph Smith” “History of Joseph Smith”
we do, Peter says I would ye had done it ignorantly speaking of crucifying the Lord &c He did not say to them repent & be for the remission of your sins but he said repent therefore & be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts III, 19 this is the case with murderers they could not be baptized for the remission of sins for they had shed innocent Blood.
Again the doctrin or power of Elijah is as follows if you have power to seal on earth & in heaven then we should be crafty the first thing you do go & seal on earth your sons & daughters unto yourself & yourself unto your fathers in eternal glory & go ahead and not go back but use a little craftiness & seal all you can & when you get to heaven tell your father that what you seal on earth should be sealed in heaven I will walk through the gate of heaven and claim what I seal & those that follow me & my council The Lord once told me that what I asked for I should have I have been afraid to aske to ask God to kill my enemies lest some of them should peradventure should repent I asked a short time since for the Lord to deliver me out of the hands of the of & if it must needs be to accomplish it to take him away & the next news that came pouring down from their was had shot himself and I would now say beware O earth how you fight against the Saints of God & shed innoce[nt] Blood, for in the days of Elijah his enemies came upon him & fire was called down from heaven & destroyed them, the spirit of Elisha Elias is first, Elijah second, & Mosiah [Messiah] last. Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, & the spirit & power of Elijah [p. [211]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
ID #
1297
Total Pages
8
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Wilford Woodruff

Footnotes

  1. [32]

    See Acts 3:17.

  2. [33]

    See Acts 2:38.

  3. [34]

    Missouri governor Thomas Reynolds died by suicide on 9 February 1844 in Jefferson City, Missouri. (“Death of Gov. Reynolds,” Peoria [IL] Democratic Press, 21 Feb. 1844, [2]; see also Letter to the Editor, Nauvoo Neighbor, 28 Feb. 1844, [2].)

    Peoria Democratic Press. Peoria, IL. 1841–1846

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

  4. [35]

    See 2 Kings 1:9–14.

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